We were headed to Thalia Hall in Pilsen for a show and wanted to get a bite to eat before. I saw HaiSous Vietnamese Kitchen | Award Winning Vietnamese Cuisine and thought, “we can probably find something to eat there.”
I noticed they had a mention in the Michelin guide… and thought, “that’s pretty good, right?”
Did you know that this guide was started by the Michelin Brothers in France in an effort to sell more tires?
From History of the MICHELIN Guide, “It all started in Clermont-Ferrand (a small French town) in 1889, when brothers Andre and Edouard Michelin founded their world-famous tire company, fueled by a grand vision for France’s automobile industry at a time when there were fewer than 3,000 cars in the country.
To help motorists develop their trips - thereby boosting car and tire sales in turn - the Michelin brothers produced a small red guide filled with handy information for travelers, such as maps, information on how to change a tire, where to fill up with fuel, and for the traveler in search of respite from the adventures of the day.
In 1926, the guide began to award stars to fine dining establishments, initially marking them only with a single star. Five years later, a hierarchy of zero, one, two, and three stars was introduced, and in 1936, the criteria for the starred rankings were published.”
Now these stars are some of the most sought-after awards in the culinary industry! Even a mention means you have a stellar dining experience.
And HaiSous lives up to the hype! The decor is lux and understated, with evident attention to materials, kept simple and elegant.
The food was also well-thought-out and presented — with delicate flavors in harmony with the delectable ingredients.
We started with the vegetarian confit eggplant salad, where eggplant stands-in for squid, served with coconut cream & toasted peanuts. Vegetarian/Vegan options were easy to find, and with amazing service, all of our questions about gluten and options were answered completely.
I delighted in the “chef’s choice” mocktails made with fresh juices and bubbles.
We ordered the Cà Ri Chay (Vietnamese curry with carrot, sweet potato, daikon radish & young bamboo), sautéed Bimi baby broccoli with garlic, and Cơm (steamed Jasmine rice).
We were stunned at how perfectly everything was made and how they achieved such succulent flavors.
This to me is a must-try in Pilsen. They also have a cafe next door if you want a more casual vibe.
